Improvement in coffin-handles



J. S. RAY.,

. Cofiin Handles.

No 137 958 PatentedA rmsmsm.

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UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

JAMES S. BAY, OF HADDAM, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN COFFlN-HANDLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 13?,958, dated April 15, 1873; application filed March 24, 1873.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JAMES S. BAY, of East Haddam, in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented an Improved Socket for Coffin-Handles, of which the following is a specification:

Figure 1 is a Vertical longitudinal section of my improved socket for coffin-handles, and Fig. 2 a horizontal section thereof on the line 0 c, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

This invention relates to a new means for holding the swinging arm of a coffin-handle socket in a raised position without the employment of expensive or intricate mechanism for that purpose; and the invention consists in forming at the back or inner face of the socket or plate a transverse rod which is fastened at the ends, and whose middle portion bears against a cam projection on the inner end of the pivoted arm, so that the said rod will thus constitute a spring for holding said pivoted arm in the desired elevated position, allowing it, however, to be swung down when desired.

Referring to the"drawing, the letter A represents the plate or socket, of suitable shape and size. The same is by screws a a,'or otherwise, fastened to the end or side of a coffin. B is the arm or lever, which is at b pivoted in the socket, and which at its outer end carries a lug or eye,ql, for the reception of the handle. A cam projection, e, is formed at the inner end of the arm B. D is arro d of meta i circular, polygonal, or otherwise, in cross-seetion, and secured by soldering or otherwise across the back or inner side of the socke'tfin line about with the 'pivot b of the arm. The socket is usually hollowed out at the back, and therefore gives ample room for the application of the said rod D, which is only fastenedat its. ends. Beingthus fastened at the ends the central part of the rod D constitutes a naturalspring,against which the cam projection e of the arm B will bear whenever said arm is swung up, as shown by dotted lines in Fig.1. The spring-rod D will then serve to hold the arm elevated and prevent it from spontaneously resuming the lower position, which is shown by full lines in Fig. 1, although by the application of slight power the arm can be readily swung to such lower position.

I am aware that springs have already been used for retaining coffin-handles in position, and lay, therefore, no claim to the use of a spring for this purpose.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The spring-rod D, secured transversely in the socket A, in combination with the pivoted arm B, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

JAS. S. RAY.

Witnesses J. A'rrwoon, W. B. WILLIAMS. 

